Wrench



(No Model) T. G. THOMAS.

WRENCH.

No. 585,412. Patented 11111029, 1897.

WITNESSES Willi I02 EM... W M g ATENT FFICE.

THEODORE G. THOMAS, OF LAMARQUE, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES F. WARE, OF HITOI'IOOOK, TEXAS.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,412, dated June 29, 1897.

Application filed September 17, 1896. Serial No. 606,120. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE G. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lamarque, in the county of Galveston and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in renches; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a novel construction in a monkey-wrench, the object being to provide a device of this kind which is readily adjustable without the use of screws; and it consists in the features of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating this invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a monkey-wrench constructed in accordance with this invention and showing in dotted lines the position of the parts when the jaws are open. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the stationary member of a monkey-wrench, illustrating another embodiment of my invention. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the movable member of this modification.

In said drawings, 1 indicates the stationary member, and 2 the movable member, of a monkey-wrench, each being provided with the usual jaws and connected by a guide fastened to one and embracing the other.

In accordance with the principle involved by this invention the members 1 and 2 are each provided with handles 3, the inner faces of which fit together when the jaws are in operative position. The meeting faces of these handles are provided with interfitting or frictional contact-faces 4, and the outer faces of the handle are inclined or wedgeshaped, as at 5, so that the contact-faces of the handles can be held forcibly together by means of a ring 6 surrounding the handles. The wedge or tapering faces 5 of the handle are highest at their central portion and taper toward each end thereof, and the combined thickness of the highest and lowest portions of these wedge-faces is less than the greatest diameter of the ring 6, so that by placing these faces opposite each other the ring can be passed over the same and will be prevented from falling therefrom by the thickness of the wedges.

hen it is desired to adjust the jaws, the ring is first pushed toward the jaws and around the low part of the wedge, whereupon the meeting faces canbe separated to allow the jaw 2 and its handle to be moved relatively to the other handle. When the jaws are in the desired position, by wedging the ring down upon the large part of the wedgefaces the said jaws will be securely fastened in this position.

It will be noted that by separating the members of the monkey-wrench they can be used as separate tools. For instance, the stationary member 1 can be used as a hammer.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings I have shown the contact-faces between the handles 3 as consisting of interfitting teeth 7, while in Figs. 2 and3 the contact-faces consist of roughened or serrated portions 8 on the handle.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A monkey-wrench consisting of two relatively movable members having jaws and interfitting or contact faces, each of said members being provided on its outer face with wedge-faces consisting of a high portion inclined toward both ends of said member, and a ring encircling said oppositely inclined wedge-faces, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THEODORE G. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

J. H. SNOWBALL, LULA SNOWBALL. 

